Dolphins Free Agents On Road To Riches

MIAMI -- Dolphins free agents are hitting the road this weekend in search of money and happiness.

Tight end Ferrell Edmunds is starting a five-city, two-week tour on Sunday with a trip to Cincinnati. He will also visit Denver and Seattle, according to his agent, Tony Agnone.

Guard Harry Galbreath will go to Cleveland and Atlanta over the weekend, according to his agent, Jimmy Sexton.

Mark Clayton`s itinerary and demand is unknown. His agent, David Ware, failed to return messages Thursday.

The Dolphins can not play the unrestricted free agent market until one of their unrestricted free agents leaves. The likeliest candidate to leave first is Edmunds.

Agnone said Edmunds hopes to sign with another team in 3-4 weeks and that should allow the Dolphins to start wooing offensive linemen or receivers. Agnone said Edmunds already has received an offer averaging $1 million a year. The Dolphins will be able to sign a player at a salary based on what Edmunds receives.

``It will come down to where we like the situation the best,`` Agnone said.

Sexton said Galbreath`s decision will be based strictly on money.

Sexton said Galbreath also hopes to sign by the end of March.

``To be honest, more teams are interested in Harry (13 teams) than Reggie White,`` said Sexton, who also represents the Philadelphia defensive end.

Sexton said the Dolphins are not out of the running.

``There will be a dialogue throughout this process with the Dolphins,`` Sexton said. ``I don`t know if we`ll give them a chance to match, but they have indicated that they want him back. They spoke to us on the day they designated their transition players, but they never made us an offer.``

Jones said the Dolphins have not made any overtures to restricted free agents, the only players they can try to sign for now.

``I haven`t really spoken to Coach Shula about that, and that`s where that starts,`` Jones said.

Restricted free agents, those who have three and four years` experience, can be retained by their current teams if they match other offers.

Jones said the Dolphins have had no new negotiations with their restricted free agents (such as Bobby Humphrey, Louis Oliver, Keith Sims, J.B. Brown and Jeff Uhlenhake), above the qualifying offers the team made last week.

Jones said construction on the team`s new training facility at Nova University in Davie was ``ahead of schedule`` and it should be completed by June 1.

``That should give us plenty of time to get in there by the time training camp starts (in mid-July),`` Jones said.

The Dolphins will remain at St. Thomas University for May and June minicamps, Jones said, although they will no longer have dormitory rooms there. Jones said the team will stay at a nearby hotel, likely Shula`s Hotel in Miami Lakes.